Review: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? at The Gamm Theatre

Early on in Edward Albee’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’, husband George nonchalantly responds to his wife who has just insulted him with the declarative statement, “That’s not a very nice thing to say, Martha.” That sarcastic albeit loaded moment of seemingly civil interplay between the pair marks the beginning of a veritable conflagration of barbs, jabs, and insults delivered with continuously elevating anger and ferocity that only two people who know each other as well as they do—and love to hate each other as much as they appear to—could ever achieve, and with such audacity and eloquence.

Gamm Theatre welcomes the new year with its extraordinary production of Albee’s Tony Award-winning masterpiece, starring two of New England’s finest actors, Gamm Artistic Director Tony Estrella and Gamm veteran Jeanine Kane, portraying the troubled spouses whose game of verbal tug-of-war takes an unexpected turn one evening.

George is a middle-aged, underachieving history professor at a small New England college where Martha’s father is the President. The play begins when the booze-soaked couple return home in the wee small hours of the morning from a reception to welcome a new member of the faculty, a young, forward-thinking biologist, Nick. Unbeknownst to George, who desperately wants to call it a night, Martha announces she has invited the handsome Nick and his mousy wife, Honey, over for a nightcap.

The guests arrive, drinks are poured, and idle, awkward small talk ensues. Martha is quite taken with Nick, which doesn’t go unnoticed by George (nor Nick), and it’s obvious her deliberately flirtatious demeanor is par for the course. Honey, meanwhile, appears uncomfortable yet thankful, making polite conversation and enthusiastically nodding in agreement—especially when the subject of children is raised.

Under Steve Kidd’s expert, careful direction, the alcohol-fueled atmosphere of the living room where this after-hours engagement takes place grows increasingly more intense as the time passes, and Albee’s clever, cutting (and even comedic) words serve as savage punches thrown in a boxing ring. George and Martha both know how skilled a fighter the other is, so when one is down for the count, they inevitably rise again.

This work is the ultimate actor’s showcase and all four members of the cast deliver impeccable performances. As Nick, Gunnar Manchester exudes charisma, intelligence, ambition, and remarkable stage presence. Nick is more than just brains and brawn, and Manchester embodies his character’s many layers with poise and discipline. Gabrielle McCauley’s portrayal of Honey is especially compelling because her actions and facial expressions outshine her dialogue and arguably pack more of a punch than the noise of her counterparts.

‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ is one of my favorite plays, so I have seen probably more than a dozen productions, and while I’m usually impressed by the actors playing George and Martha, one always seems to slightly outshine the other—until now. Estrella and Kane’s performances are equally captivating, poignant, and profound. Kane perfectly and painstakingly illustrates Martha’s deep-seated insecurity, despite her brazen, bawdy disposition. As George, Estrella is witty, scholarly, and almost stoic to a fault, except when his character demands otherwise—and his transformation is seamless. Their chemistry is palpable, and more importantly, despite their antics, they help the audience understand why they need each other and belong together.

Despite having premiered more than six decades ago, ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ is just as startling and sensational today, and it would be criminal to miss this production at Gamm, which will likely turn out to be the theater event of the season.

'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' runs through February 25th at The Gamm Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick. For tickets and information, call 401-723-4266 or visit www.gammtheatre.org

Photo by Cat Laine

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